Kitchen Call: Adding some zest to prepared foods

Friday

Aug 21, 2009 at 12:01 AMAug 21, 2009 at 9:18 PM

August’s heat crept up and smacked us on the back of the head. It’s particularly unbearable in the kitchen. So let’s come to terms with the take-out stuff just for a few days, and add some touches of our own that don’t need cooking.

Linda Bassett

During summer's heat, it’s particularly unbearable in the kitchen. Even pizza delivery is too hot to handle these days. Many of us are slinking, under the cover of oversize dark glasses, into the deli or the takeout shop to pick up a few items for dinner.

We pick up salads — potato, pasta, and green bean — for dinner because to cook them at home requires boiling a pot of water. We pick up precooked turkey or chicken — wings, salads or sliced — because cooking at home requires a hot oven. We can’t bear the additional heat in the kitchen. And who wants to stand over a hot outdoor grill?

So let’s come to terms with the take-out stuff just for a few days, and add some touches of our own that don’t need cooking. In the Mediterranean, where citrus grows abundantly, home cooks make a flavoring by chopping together the outer, colored portion of peel, called the zest, and a handful of fresh herbs. Called gremolata or gremlada, these seasonings are stirred into pots of stew or sprinkled over long-cooked meats. The classic flavoring uses lemon zest, garlic and parsley. But a cook can easily substitute any type of citrus, then toss the seasoning into prepared salads, or whisk into dressings.

The trick to making them is a vegetable peeler or a zester. The peeler will take off whole strips of the zest; the zester will grate the citrus skin into fine pieces as it peels. Either are available in the supermarket gadget section. Once the ingredients are assembled, a sharp knife or the bowl of a food processor or small grinder finish the job.

The classic gremolata gives a lemony kick to a plain potato salad. The lime-based one might give a Caribbean kick to chicken salad. If you can stand the heat long enough, perk up a jar of plain marinara sauce with orange gremolata and toss with spaghetti. Or prepare a cool green salad with the standard tomatoes, onions and cukes. Then whisk some of the grapefruit gremolata into a simple oil and vinegar dressing. It might not bring on an ocean breeze, but the cook will enjoy the respite from the heat.

CLASSIC GREMOLATA
For 4 servings

Zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
Handful fresh parsley leaves

Chop together all ingredients with a very sharp knife until they are very fine. If you prefer, pulse them together in a food processor.

ORANGE GREMOLATA
For 4 servings

Zest of 1 orange
1 clove garlic
Handful fresh oregano leaves

Chop together all ingredients with a very sharp knife until they are very fine. If you prefer, pulse them together in a food processor.

LIME GREMOLATA
For 4 servings

Zest of 2 limes
1 clove garlic
Handful fresh cilantro leaves

Chop together all ingredients with a very sharp knife until they are very fine. If you prefer, pulse them together in a food processor.